Sony announces new flagship smartphone: Xperia Z1

Sony Mobile has introduced the Xperia Z1 and a wide range of companion products and offering a better camera experience.

‚”Xperia Z1 represents a significant milestone for Sony in our continued efforts to deliver unforgettable experiences to our consumers,‚” said Kunimasa Suzuki, President and CEO, Sony Mobile Communications. ‚”Not only by bringing the power of Sony to the smartphone and through close collaboration with our partners but by setting a new standard in premium smartphones.‚”

The world’s leading camera in a smartphone

The elegant, 5‚” Xperia Z1 is the latest addition to Sony’s premium Z series of products and brings Sony’s proven world-class technologies to the smartphone like never before – including the very best of Sony’s camera expertise. Xperia Z1 features Sony’s award-winning ‚”G Lens‚” with a 27mm wide angle and bright F2.0 aperture, custom made large 1/2.3-type CMOS image sensor Exmor RS for mobile with20.7MP and a BIONZ for mobile image processing engine. The combination of these technologies delivers the same level of quality and performance as a conventional compact digital camera in a slim, waterproof smartphone. Indeed, independent testing has confirmed that Xperia Z1 provides the best overall image quality of all leading smartphones. This means that Xperia Z1 captures beautiful, sharp and bright images even in lowlight conditions. High shutter speeds and 3x clear image zoom also prevents shots from being blurred while enabling them to be captured at distance.

Innovative suite of Xperia Camera Applications

Xperia Z1 takes the conventional camera experience to a whole new level by including an innovative set of Xperia Camera Applications that deliver new experiences. Applications at launch include:

¬∑ Social live: Broadcast real time and precious moments live from Xperia Z1 to Facebook and get your friends’ comments right on your screen.

· Info-eye: Innovative visual search function that provides related information on landmarks and on items such as books or wine simply by capturing them with the camera.

· Timeshift burst: Capture the perfect shot every time РXperia Z1 takes 61 images in 2 seconds Рa second before and after pressing the shutter Рso you can scroll back and forth to find the perfect image.

¬∑ AR effect: Overlay a selection of fun, customisable animations to create pictures using Sony’s SmartART augmented reality technology.

This experience is supported by a robust ecosystem of established and up-and-coming developer partnerships who are working to createXperia Camera Applications. Many more apps will be available through the Sony Select recommendation store after launch.

Beautiful design with high power and performance

Xperia Z1 also includes all of the features consumers have come to expect of a Sony smartphone. Its stunning looks combine Sony’s acclaimed OmniBalance design with premium materials and precision engineering in a slim waterproof and dust resistant smartphone (IP55 & IP58). A solid one-piece aluminium frame with tempered glass on the front and back ensures beauty and durability as well as a consistent viewing experience from any angle.

Xperia Z1 features the fully integrated Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU and 4G LTE to provide a seamless connected entertainment experience, industry leading battery performance and amazing speed. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor features the latest GPU and dual ISP for incredible graphics, 3D games and videos. The Xperia Z1 also includes a 3000 mAh battery for a high battery performance. Sony’s Battery STAMINA Mode automatically turns off functions to save power when you don’t need them and restarts them when you do.

Incredible out of the box entertainment with Sony’s media applications and technologies

Xperia Z1 integrates Sony’s signature media applications – ‚”WALKMAN‚”, Movies and Album which allow users to enjoy, control and view content. Thanks to the inclusion of Sony’s BRAVIA TV technology, Xperia Z1 features Sony’s unique TRILUMINOS Display for mobile, creating a wider palette of rich natural colours for an immersive viewing experience. It also includes X-Reality for mobile – Sony’s intelligent super resolution technology which analyses each image and optimises the quality to deliver super sharp videos. Xperia Z1 also brings Sony’s audio expertise to play with Sony’s ClearAudio+ which automatically optimises the audio experience without the need to adjust individual settings.

‚”Xperia Z1 combines unique Sony expertise and intelligent technology and for the first time ever, bringing real digital camera quality into smartphone,‚” says Mark Fenzel, Sony Mobile Communications Sales Director, Middle East and Africa. ‚”We are excited to launch this new flagship premium waterproof smartphone in South Africa from October 2013.‚”

Unrivalled ecosystem of companion products and smart accessories

Xperia Z1 is supported by an ecosystem of innovative companion products and accessories. All are underpinned by Sony’s one-touch functions with NFC technology which will number approximately 100 compatible products by the end of the year including TVs, headphones, audio speakers, tablets, and more. Key products include:

Companion products to enhance the camera experience

· Smart Imaging Stand IPT-DS10M: An intelligent accessory that helps Xperia Z1 detect smiles and capture special moments without needing to hold the handset

· Smartphone Tripod SPA-MK20M: A versatile tripod perfect for extra stability when taking pictures or capturing video

A host of other companion products and smart accessories that enrich your smartphone experience.

· SmartWatch 2 Use as a second screen for Xperia Z1. Read messages, handle calls, easily access notifications all from your wrist. Trigger the Xperia Z1 camera shutter. Download other camera apps to enhance the Xperia Z1 experience. Sony is working closely with developers for even more optimised apps

· SBH52 Smart Bluetooth Handset Splash proof wireless audio accessory that enables you to listen and talk without taking out your smartphone.

· MDR-10BT NFC headphones and SRS-BTS50 wireless speaker РNew, high quality NFC enabled headphones and wireless speaker.

· SmartTags NT3 Create a unique experience for your tag and share with a friend via NFC.

· Continually update the experience over time with the Bluetooth Music Receiver BM10 stream music and audio from Xperia Z1 to your home Hi-Fi system

· Miracast Wireless Display IM10 Mirror your smartphone display on your HDTV or projector

Xperia Z1 key specifications

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